Stephanie (70) and Sally (71) in

contention in South Carolina

Northern Ireland's Stephanie Meadow and Scotland's Sally Watson were bang in the picture after the first round of the Verizon Junior Heritage girls' championship today over the Ocean Course at Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head Island in South Carolina.

Stephanie, a resident pupil at the International Junior Golf Academy at Hilton Head, had a round of two-under-par 70 (35-35) to be joint second, one behind pacemaker Doris Chen with a 69 (34-35).

Curtis Cup player Sally Watson, a student at the David Leadbetter Academy at Bradenton, Florida - she enrols at Stanford University, California in the autumn, was joint fourth on 71 with halves of 35 and 36.

Overnight frost delayed the start of play by 45 minutes.

FIRST-ROUND LEADERBOARD

Par 72

69 Doris Chen (34-35).

70 Emilie Burger 33-37, Stephanie Meadow 35-35.

71 Tanaporn Kongkiatkrai 35-36, Jessica Korda 37-34, Sally Watson 35-36.

72 Laetitia Beck 35-37, Alexis Thompson 36-36, Haley Stephens 38-34.

Selected scores:

73 Daniela Lendl 37-36.

76 Isabelle Lendl 38-38.